Chefs then began cutting and folding these leaves to create even better looking plates. This, in turn, led to the carving of fruit and vegetable garnishes to further the look of the dish. When it became popular, street vendors would create carvings and garnishes upon request. Nowadays, it isn't uncommon for a Japanese chef to be trained on how to carve Fruits and vegetables.
Thailand: The Land Of Fruit Carvings
The belief that Thailand started the fruit and vegetable carving trend stemmed from a story about the Loi Kratong festival. during this festival, it is tradition to decorate rafts using banana leaves and other such decorations. At one of these festivals, King Phra Ruang's servant, Nang Noppamart, carved a vegetable into a flower using a real flower as a template. On top of that, she carved a bird and set it by the flowers. Her raft was phenomenal. In fact, King Phra Ruang liked the raft so much, he decreed that every woman learn this new form of art.
As time moved on, the popularity and novelty of fruit and vegetable carving increased and decreased. In fact, in 1808, King Rama II liked fruit and vegetable carving so much, he wrote poetry about it. Reversely, during the 1932 revolution of Thailand, Fruit carving wasn't very popular. In order to boost popularity, it was taught from age 11 in primary schools all the way through secondary school.